Welding helmet



Feb. 1, 1966 T. R. NICOLAI 3,232,290

WELDING HELMET Filed Feb. 8, 1963 United States Patent 3,232,290 WELDING HELMET Theodore R. Nicolai, 26598 Baseline SL, Highland, Calif. Filed Feb. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 257,294 1 Ciairn. (Cl. 128-141) This invention relates generally to Welders helmets and particularly to the arrangement of the respirator therein.

One of the main objects of this invention is to provide helmet construction that lends itself to safe and comfortable use and at the same time permits instant placement of the respirator in face-conforming position.

Many types of welders protective gear have been known and used heretofore. Some have afforded poor lung protection, and others have been so cumbersome as to affect the operators skill.

The fundamental theory of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple structural combination that will permit the welding operation to be conducted with absolute safety and in an effortless manner.

Another object of the invention is in the provision of a respirator support and positioning means that simplifies helmet construction and manufacture.

Yet another object of the invention lies in a special supporting means for the respirator that insures safe and proper breathing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide respirator support of a nature that will permit the helmet to be tipped out of operating position and returned to safe and comfortable position without effort.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of a structural support for the respirator which permits instant removal as well as quick face conformation to any user.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a welders helmet that is bracketed to receive the respirator in a quick detachable manner and which also lends itself to inexpensive manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, reference being and to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partially broken awa showing the device of the invention in actual use;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

The drawings disclose a welder-s protective device of such construction that it is not only simple to manufacture, but also usable in an easy and effortless manner by the operator.

The welding operation is old and well-known. It is dangerous for many reasons. The intense heat requires face protection. The operator has long depended upon a protective helmet construction of such material properly coated that it will protect him from injury in a very diificult, uncomfortable, and unpleasant job. Flying bits of metal and the like are another source of trouble.

There is another more important danger, and that is the presence of toxic gases, fumes, dust, insects and more, that may possibly enter the operators lungs. Efforts have been made heretofore to overcome this danger, but they have always required complicated mechanisms that interfered with the welding operation itself.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, it Will be seen that a cross-strap type of head band has been referred to as 16. This is conventional helmet-supporting structure,

3,232,299 Patented Feb. 1, i966 and is usually adjustable. The helmet, generally referred to as H, is also conventional in form, and in face covering postion. Helmets of this general type are conventional. The helmet H has the usual dark glass eyecovering at 12, and is pivotally connected at 14 to the headband 10.

The welding operation is of course conducted with the device in the position of FIGURE 1. Following the welding action, the operation tips the helmet upwardly and backwardly away from his face for better vision or rest. This action is usually accompanied by disarrangement, in some way, of the respirator mechanism used, irrespective of the type used.

The respirator support of the present invention is calculated to overcome the disadvantages of earlier helmets, and to provide a device of simple construction and opera tion.

A conventional respirator is referred to generally as R. It consists of a perforated canister 16 containing the usual filters and also the rubber nose-and-mouth conforming piece 18. An exhalation valve and tube is shown at iii. The construction described is a commercial prodnet that may be purchased from any one of several companies as a necessary accessory to the conventional welders helment.

As far as the present invention is concerned, the support and mounting of the canister-type respirator R is extremely important. The respirator R is circular in shape, although it might be otherwise. A special bracket is formed by the spaced dual identical portions 22 and 24- attached at 26 and 28, respectively, to the inner face of the helmet H. The respirator-receiving inner surfaces 30 and 32, respectively, of the bracket are inclined downwardly to form an adjustable respirator-receiving slot.

The respirator-receiving bracket may be changed in shape and form as long as the respirator is received in a loose and quickly detachable manner. The simple bracket on the inner face of the helmet disposed below the glass plate, permits not only instant release and replacement of the respirator, but also comfortable and quick settling of the rubber nose piece on the operators face. The helmet can be raised as before described, and returned to position without difficulty and with little or no effort. The loose bracket fitting for the respirator does permit it to lodge in secure position, perfectly positioned about the operators nose and mouth so that he is absolutely safe from contamination.

The operation of the device is relatively simple. The automatic positioning of the respirator to comfortable and safe position without difficulty or discomfort to the operator is apparent. Removal and replacement of the canister-type respirator is without effort. The unit as a whole is clean of design, and provides for the first time a safe, simple and comfortably usable Welders helmet.

While I have shown and described in considerable detail what I believe to be the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the shape and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the broad scope of the invention as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

A welding helmet, comprising:

an integral face and head covering section having an eye protecting vision section;

means for supporting said helmet in relatively fixed position upon the operators head;

means for pivotally connecting said helmet to said support whereby it may be swung upwardly out of the line of vision of the operator;

a conventional respirator assembly, comprising a frame the covering and sustaining the respirator assembly encased perforated filter canister, rubber nose-andin conforming lodgement on the wearers face. mouth conforming section and exhalation valve and tube; References Cited by the Examiner a respirator assembly support attached to the inner 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS front face of said helmet below the eye protecting vision section, said support incudin g two brackets g g f 5 7 mounted on the face covering at an angle to the 3 5 1/1952 5 141 vertical to form a downwardly converging, open ended O er slot or pocket with the face covering demountably v l l0 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. IC1V111g the cansister frame In spaced relation to 

